new-social-story-book-2016-9781941765289

Story #15

A Toilet is Not a Chair

A toilet is not a chair, that’s for sure.

A toilet is a fixture with a pipe that takes pee and poop to a waste treatment plant. It has a
safe seat with a space for pee and poop to pass through.

A chair is a piece of furniture. It has a solid seat. People use chairs for many reasons, but never
to pee or poop.

A toilet is definitely not a chair, anytime or anywhere! n

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© by Carol Gray, Future Horizons, Inc.

Story #16

It’s Safe to Sit on a Toilet

It is safe for a child or adult to sit on a toilet.
That’s good to know, because many people
need to use toilets each day.
The toilet seat is small enough to sit safely,
with a hole that is big enough for pee or poop
to pass through.
A toilet seat is a safe place to sit, pee, and
poop. n

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Story #17

This is a Story About Dogs.
Just Dogs.

This Story is about dogs. Just dogs.
This is a photo of a dog. Sometimes people say, “This is a dog,” when they see a photo like this.

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This is a dog.

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This is a dog.

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This is a dog.

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These are dogs and a pig. A pig?
A pig does not belong in this story.

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That’s better, because this is a story about dogs.
Just dogs. n

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© by Carol Gray, Future Horizons, Inc.

Story #18

My Parents Take Care of Me

My name is Christopher. Mom and Dad take care of me.

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© by Carol Gray, Future Horizons, Inc.

Mom and Dad help me clean my room.

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Mom and Dad get me food to eat.

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Mom and Dad help me take a bath.

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Mom and Dad teach me how to do new things.

Mom and Dad take care of me to help me be healthy and smart! n

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© by Carol Gray, Future Horizons, Inc.

Story #19

I Am Learning to Tie My Shoes

I amlearning how to tie my shoes.
I learned how to button. I learned how to zip.
Someday, I will be able to tie my shoes. n

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© by Carol Gray, Future Horizons, Inc.

Story #20

We Take Care of Frank the Goldfish

We take care of Frank the goldfish.
Frank can’t clean his fishbowl or get his food to eat.
So, we clean Frank’s fishbowl when it’s
dirty and we feed Frank his food.
Taking care of Frank helps to keep him
healthy. n

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© by Carol Gray, Future Horizons, Inc.

Story #21

I Am Going to Start Preschool

This is my story about preschool. I am going to start preschool in ______ days.
My adult and I will try to think about what I may see at preschool. We can write it here:
1. ______________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________________
My adult and I will think about what I might do at preschool. We can write it here:
1. ______________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________________
There are things to see and do at preschool. Some of them may be in this story! n

50 The New Social StoryTM Book, 15th Anniversary Edition

© by Carol Gray, Future Horizons, Inc.

Story #22

Getting to Preschool

Many children go to preschool. There are many ways to get to preschool.
Sometimes children ride to preschool in a bus.

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© by Carol Gray, Future Horizons, Inc.

Sometimes children ride to preschool in a car.

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Mom and Dad teach me how to do new things.

There are many ways that children get to preschool. n

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Story #23

While I Am at Preschool

I go to preschool. My mom and dad are busy, too!

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When I have “Hello Time,” my mom is driving to her school.

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When I am working, my dad is working, too.

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When we are cleaning up, my dad is on his way home.

When children are in school, adults are busy in other places. n

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Story #24

My Toys

My toys belong to me. They are mine.
Many of my toys were given to me.
Some of my toys have my name on them.
I may play with my toys or share them with someone.
I have toys that are mine. n

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Story #25

Toys that Are Not Mine

There are toys that are not mine. This is okay.

Preschool toys are not mine. Children learn to share preschool toys.

My brother, Sam, has toys. Some of them were given to him or have his name on them. He
may play with them or share them with someone.

Some toys are not my toys. This is okay. n

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© by Carol Gray, Future Horizons, Inc.

Story #26

Staying Close to Mom

We are going to the store. It’s important to stay close to my mom.
This is a photo of me.

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This is a photo of my mom.

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This is a photo of me staying close to my mom. This is called “sticking together” at the store.

I will try to stay close to my mom at the store. This is very, very, very important. n
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Story #27

Sticking Together by Staying
Together

My family is going to a museum. A museum is a big place.
Sticking together in a big place is smart and safe.
Most of the time, sticking together means staying close to one another.
My family is going to a museum. We will try to stick together to be smart and safe. n

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© by Carol Gray, Future Horizons, Inc.

Story #28

Sticking Together by Working
Together

Sticking together is working together.
The last time we went to a museum, my sister had to use the toilet. We made a plan so she
could visit the restroom safely. That’s sticking together by working together.
Sticking together is working together to stay safe. n

64 The New Social StoryTM Book, 15th Anniversary Edition

© by Carol Gray, Future Horizons, Inc.

Self Care



Story #29

Washing My Hands

Sometimes, my hands get dirty. My hands touch items with germs all day long. My hands
touch doorknobs and pencils and many other things that have germs. I can’t see or feel the
germs on my hands. That’s because germs are very, very tiny. Even though I can’t see germs,
soap and water sends them away.

This is a list of steps people follow when they wash their hands:

• Go to the sink.
• Turn the water on.
• Get hands wet.
• Put soap on hands.
• Rub hands together.
• Rinse hands with water.
• Turn the water off.
• Dry hands.

Washing my hands is a healthy habit. I will try to follow these steps to wash my hands. n

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Story #30

Taking a Shower in Ten Steps

Many people use showers to get clean. Often, a per-
son will say, “I’m going to take a shower.” That means,
I am going to use the shower. Soon, I will be learning to
take a shower.

What follows is a list of steps that many people follow
to take a shower at home. It is a list of what they do
and why they do it.

TEN STEPS TO TAKE A SHOWER

• Go into the bathroom and close the door. Closing
the door keeps a shower private.

• Take off clothes. This keeps clothes dry.
• Turn on the water and set a comfortable water temperature. If the water is too hot or

too cold, a shower is uncomfortable. (Hint: Some people use the bathtub faucet to
make sure the water temperature is comfortable, and then they send the water through
the shower head.)

• Make sure the water is coming out through the shower head.
• Step carefully into the shower. Wet surfaces may be slippery.

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• Wash hair with shampoo, rinse, apply conditioner, rinse. Shampoo is soap made just for
washing hair. Conditioner makes hair easier to comb and style. Rinsing well after the
shampoo and conditioner is important for clean and comfortable hair and scalp.

• Wash skin with soap. This gets a body clean. Rinse. Rinsing well is important for clean and
comfortable skin.

• When the shower is done, turn off the water. This saves water and energy.
• Use a towel to dry skin and hang up the towel. Dry skin makes clean clothes feel more

comfortable. Hanging up the towel keeps the bathroom neat. It also prevents someone
from saying, “Hey, come back and hang up your towel.”

• Put on clean clothes. Carry dirty clothes out of the bathroom. This helps to keep a bath-
room neat.

I may use this list as I am learning to take a shower. My mom and dad know how to take a
shower. If I have questions about taking a shower, they will know the answer. With practice,
I may not need the list—or help from my mom and dad. I will have learned how to take a
shower on my own! n

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© by Carol Gray, Future Horizons, Inc.

Story #31

Sharing a Bathroom by
Taking a Shorter Shower

In our home there are two bathrooms. One is for my mom and dad. The other is for me, my
sister Emily, and my brother Austin, to share.
My sister Emily uses the toilet, shower, and sink in our bathroom.
My brother Austin uses the toilet,
shower, and sink in our bathroom.
I use the toilet, shower, and sink in
our bathroom.
Each of us needs to use the toi-
let, take a shower, and brush our
teeth. To be fair, each of us needs
time in the bathroom.
Shorter showers can help. When Emily takes a shorter shower, Austin or I can use the
bathroom sooner. When Austin takes a shorter shower, Emily or I can use the bathroom
sooner. When I take a shorter shower, Austin and Emily are able to use the bathroom
sooner. Shorter showers help share a bathroom.
To share the bathroom with Emily and Austin, I will try to take a shorter shower. n

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Story #32

How to Take a Shorter Shower

Sometimes it’s important to take a shorter shower. Here’s a list of ideas to make taking a
shorter shower easier or more fun:

• Complete the steps to taking a shower, without playing in the bathroom.
• Set an alarm for ten minutes, and keep moving through the shower steps to finish before

the alarm rings.

• Take a three-song shower. Record favorite
songs on a shower radio. By the end of the
first song, wash and rinse hair. By the end
of the second song, wash and rinse skin. By
the end of the third song, dry off and put
on clean clothes.

At my house, it’s often important to take a
shorter shower. Having a plan can help. I
may try using one of the ideas in this list. Or,
my mom, dad, or I may have another idea.
Whatever we decide, I will try to shorten my
time in the shower to share the bathroom
with others. n

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Change



Story #33

Change

People live on Planet Earth, and Planet Earth is always
changing. As it does, people change, too.
There are many changes that people know will happen.
Leaves fall to the ground. Water evaporates into air. Day-
light darkens to night. People expect these changes.
Expected changes often form routines for people.
Leaves fall to the ground; people rake them up. Water
evaporates; people check if their plants need water.
Daylight darkens to night; people go to bed. Expected
changes form plans that become routines.
There are other changes that people try to predict. Peo-
ple know these changes may come, but they don’t know
for sure. So, they gather information. Then, they make their best guess. A sunny day changes
with a thunderstorm. The night sky changes with a meteor shower. An earthquake breaks
the surface of the earth. People try to predict when changes like these will happen.
The changes that people try to predict can change their plans. A thunderstorm causes peo-
ple to have a picnic indoors instead of outside. A meteor shower causes people to watch
the night sky instead of going to the movies. An earthquake causes a baseball game to be
canceled. People try to predict the changes that can change their plans.
People live on Planet Earth, and Planet Earth is always changing. As it does, it helps people
form routines, make plans, and causes people to change those plans, too. That’s Life on
Planet Earth. n

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Story #34

The Changes That Form Our Routine

Each day, there are changes all around me. A lot changes from day to night and night to
day. Whether it is day or night helps people figure out what to do.
When the sun rises, the sky gets lighter. It’s morning. For me, it’s time for my morning rou-
tine. It’s time to wake up, get out of bed, and start my day.
When the sun sets, the sky gets darker. It’s evening. For me, it’s time for my evening rou-
tine. It’s time to put on my pajamas and get ready for bed.
Going from day to night or night to day is a big change. Going from night to day is a big
change, too. The sun makes big changes that help me and everyone else know what to
do! n

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Story #35

A Theory about Change s

Here is a theory: Expected and welcome
changes are the easiest. Unexpected and
unwelcome changes are the most difficult.

Life may seem simple by looking at a cal-
endar. There’s a box for each date. People
often write their appointments and activi-
ties on a calendar. They finish the schedule
for one day and then move on to the next.

For many people, changing from one day
to another is easy. People go to bed expect-
ing a new day, and welcome it the next
morning. For many people, expected and
welcome changes are the easiest for them
to handle.

Unexpected changes are surprises. Some
surprises are nice. For example, seeing a
rainbow after it rains. Unexpected but wel-
come changes are often good surprises.

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Some unexpected surprises are unwelcome. A flat tire on a car is an unexpected and unwel-
come surprise. Unexpected and unwelcome surprises often mean that people have to do
something they’d rather not do. Unexpected and unwelcome surprises are the most difficult
changes for people to handle.

Life may seem simple by looking at a
calendar. But each day isn’t just the
activities and appointments that are
listed there. Some of life’s most chal-
lenging events are those that are never
written on a calendar. n

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Story #36

My Theory about Change

Here’s a theory: Expected and welcome changes are the easiest. Unexpected and unwel-
come changes are the most difficult.

For many people, changing from one day to another is easy. It’s an expected and wel-
comed change. One change that I like and expect is:

For me, this change is (circle one): EASY CHALLENGING DIFFICULT

Unexpected changes are a surprise. Some surprises are nice. For me, one unexpected but
nice change (surprise) is:

For me, this change is (circle one): EASY CHALLENGING DIFFICULT

Some unexpected changes are also unwelcome. Unexpected and unwelcome changes often
make people do something that they would rather not do. For me, an unexpected and
unwelcome change is:

For me, this change is (circle one): EASY CHALLENGING DIFFICULT 79

Life may seem simple by looking at a calendar. But each day isn’t just the activities and
appointments that are listed there. Some of life’s most challenging events are those that
are never written on a calendar. n

The New Social StoryTM Book, 15th Anniversary Edition
© by Carol Gray, Future Horizons, Inc.

Story #37

The Transformers around Us

BUTTERFLIES

Life is full of real transformers. They change their form—and
how they look—following a biological plan.

A butterfly is a real transformer. Its life cycle is a biological plan
with four stages. First, there’s an egg that is laid on a leaf near
butterfly food. It isn’t an egg for long.

Second, the egg becomes a caterpillar. Caterpillars may have
stripes or patches. They eat and grow. Their skin becomes too
small. They shed it. A caterpillar grows fast. It may have to shed
its skin four or more times.

The third stage is a pupa (also called a chrysalis or cocoon). This
is the transformation stage. On the outside, a cocoon looks still.
It’s silent. On the inside, a lot is happening. The caterpillar is
changing into a butterfly.

The fourth stage is the adult butterfly. Many butterflies have
colorful wings. They can fly. They lay eggs, near food, that grow
into caterpillars, and then cocoons, to become butterflies.

Some of the changes around us are transformations that follow
a plan, over and over again. They are quiet transformations that
are an important part of Life on Planet Earth. n

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Story #38

The Transformers around Us 81

FROGS

Life is full of real transformers. They change their
form—and how they look—following a biological
plan.

A frog is a real transformer. Its life cycle is a biological
plan with three stages. First, there’s an egg that is laid
in the water and covered with special jelly. It isn’t an
egg for long.

Second, the egg hatches. It’s a tadpole! Sometimes,
tadpoles are called polliwogs. Tadpoles eat and grow
in the water. The top of the pond often looks still
and silent. Under the water, a lot is happening. The
tadpoles grow back legs, then front legs, and their
tails shrink.

The third stage is a frog. People often think of frogs
as green. A frog may be other colors, too. Some frogs
change colors. Frogs lay eggs that grow into tadpoles,
to become frogs.

Some of the changes around us are transformations
that follow a plan, over and over again. They are quiet
transformations that are an important part of Life on
Planet Earth. n

The New Social StoryTM Book, 15th Anniversary Edition
© by Carol Gray, Future Horizons, Inc.

Story #39

The Transformers around Us

LADYBUGS

Life is full of real transformers. They change their form—and
how they look—following a biological plan.

A ladybug is a real transformer. Its life cycle is a biological plan
with four stages. First, there’s an egg. Ladybugs lay their eggs
on the underside of leaves near ladybug food. They aren’t eggs
for long.

Second, the egg hatches. Larvae come out. Larvae look like
insects, with six legs and tiny hairs on the side. They eat and
grow for about twenty-one days. Then they begin to change.

The third stage is a pupa. This is the transformation stage. On
the outside, a pupa looks still. It’s silent. On the inside, a lot is
happening. The larva is changing into a ladybug.

The fourth stage is the adult ladybug. They are red with black
dots. They lay eggs, near food, that grow into larvae, and then
pupa, to become ladybugs.

Some of the changes around us are transformations that follow
a plan, over and over again. They are quiet transformations that
are an important part of Life on Planet Earth. n

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Story #40

I Am a Transformer

Butterflies, ladybugs, frogs, and ME!
I’m a transformer, too!
I once was a baby, but not anymore.
My smaller me definitely GREW!
I’m littler today than I will be soon,
I grow larger bit by bit.
I’m transforming again to a bigger me.
When I get to ‘adult’ size, I’ll quit! n

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